Colorado § 23-3.3-106 - Technology to support FAFSA and CASFA - definitions.

§ 23-3.3-106. Technology to support FAFSA and CASFA - definitions.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "CASFA" means the Colorado application for state financial aid.

(b) "Department" means the department of higher education.

(c) "FAFSA" means the free application for federal student aid.

(d) "Local education provider" means a school district, a charter school authorized by a school district pursuant to part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22, a charter school authorized by the state charter school institute pursuant to part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, or a board of cooperative services created and operating pursuant to article 5 of title 22 that operates one or more public schools.

(2) (a) The department shall use technology to assist in increasing the number of students who complete the FAFSA and CASFA forms. On or before September 15, 2023, the department shall develop a tool kit and training outlining web tools and resources for use by higher education administrators, middle and high schools, and nonprofit organizations that support the completion of FAFSA and CASFA forms. The tool kit must include free resources, including:

(I) Net price calculators and information about how to use calculators to outline resources available based on financial need;

(II) Supports for populations of students who have accommodations as outlined by the FAFSA or youth who may be considered independent according to federal department of education policies, including:

(A) Youth who have deceased parents, are currently or previously were in foster care, or are a ward of the court;

(B) Emancipated minors;

(C) Youth under a legal guardianship; and

(D) Youth who are homeless, self-supporting, or at risk of homelessness;

(III) Information for students who are the first in their family to attend college and how to navigate financial aid resources and application processes; and

(IV) Public information available through state or federal entities.

(b) The information in the tool kit must be:

(I) Offered in multiple languages; and

(II) Updated annually for educators and nonprofit organizations to support students and families in developing individual career and education plans pursuant to sections 22-32-109 (1)(oo) and 22-30.5-525 and career-connected strategies, such as work-based learning in support of financial literacy education and completion of the financial aid forms.

(c) The department should consider avoiding duplication of efforts by leveraging existing resources in creating the tool kit.

(3) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), on or before October 15, 2023, and on or before October 15 each year thereafter, the department shall submit to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, a report concerning:

(a) The steps that the department has made to improve the tool kit;

(b) Any recommendations for legislative changes necessary to improve FAFSA and CASFA completion rates;

(c) Subject to data availability and data privacy requirements, data indicating the FAFSA and CASFA completion rates by high school and school district and, where available, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, first-generation status, and Pell grant eligibility for:

(I) Adults by county; and

(II) High schools and school districts; and

(d) Other information as determined by the department or partner agencies, including, but not limited to, the Colorado department of education, Colorado workforce development council, Colorado department of labor and employment, or office of economic development and international trade in support of Colorado's economic and job needs.

(4) (a) The department shall make improvements to its web-based financial aid completion tool to support schools and school districts across Colorado in determining which students have competed financial aid forms by:

(I) Updating and modernizing the completion tool with federal and state financial aid information; and

(II) Displaying the information for FAFSA and CASFA completion and verification status on a local level to show how many students in a high school have completed an application form and make the information accessible by school or district administrators in alignment with state data privacy regulations and requirements.

(b) Financial information shall not be shared in this tool. The tool may only be used to show application completion, partial completion, and verification status.

(5) The department shall support college access activities by:

(a) Providing career advising aligned with Colorado's critical industry shortage areas;

(b) Providing information about degree programs in alignment with in-demand, high-wage jobs;

(c) Providing information about the application and financial aid processes associated with accessing postsecondary education;

(d) Supporting students and families in completing financial aid applications; and

(e) Providing information associated with return-on-investment and financial literacy education in relation to additional education beyond high school, including:

(I) Degree programs;

(II) Credentials;

(III) Apprenticeships;

(IV) Work-based learning; and

(V) Scholarships, grants, and other financial tools to support postsecondary education.

(5.5) Any money appropriated to the department for the implementation of this section may be used for maintenance of the web-based financial aid completion tool.

(6) For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate six hundred eighty thousand dollars from the general fund to the department for the purposes of this section. Any unexpended money remaining at the end of the 2022-23 state fiscal year:

(a) Does not revert to the general fund or any other fund;

(b) May be used by the department in subsequent state fiscal years without further appropriation; and

(c) Shall not be used for any other purpose other than the purposes set forth in this section.

Source: L. 2022: Entire section added, (HB 22-1366), ch. 244, p. 1817, § 8, effective May 26. L. 2025: (5.5) added, (HB 25-1192), ch. 239, p. 1208, § 4, effective August 6.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 22-1366, see section 1 of chapter 244, Session Laws of Colorado 2022. For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1192, see section 1 of chapter 239, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.